Four years later
by dramasovereign
Summary: Will pays a visit to his mentor.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! This is my first RA fic, and I hope you guys enjoy it :D Do leave reviews too!**

**Also please note that I didn't follow _The Lost Stories_, so whatever happens there... doesn't happen here. :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Ranger's Apprentice or any of its characters.**

Will placed his hand gently over his wife, looking up with a faint smile at Alyss. In his other hand, he held a bouquet of sunflowers; Halt's favourite. It was freshly picked; Will had made sure of that. He had personally picked each and every one of the bright, cheery flowers and clumsily wrapped them together for an easier holding.

An answering smile spread across Alyss's face, and she nudged him forward to the empty space in front, herself taking a few steps back. A diplomat to the core, she sensed Will's need for privacy now. She had many things to say as well, but they were not as important.

Will stepped forward towards the grave, his eyes fixed on the portrait of one of the greatest ranger that lived. He kneeled down, laying the bouquet gently at the end of the plot.

"Halt," his voice cracked, and he cleared his throat shakily, "I hope you're doing well in wherever you are. You're probably annoying the people up there, aren't you? For goodness's sake, Halt, I hope you don't drive them mad with your comments."

A faint, almost unconscious smile spread across Will's face, as he leaned back on his heels. He didn't like this date – he hated it, yet he made sure he was available whenever this day approached. He disliked that he was forced to acknowledge his father figure had finally passed on. It didn't seem right, his going away. Will knew Halt would never willingly abandon him, yet his throat choked once too often when he recalled the peaceful manner Halt had left.

"Gilan's doing really well as the Corps Commandant now, and you must be proud of him, right? You probably want to tell him that he's growing too skinny for his own good, and I'll be sure to pass on the message. He'll want to see you, but work has tied him down. He still hasn't learnt Crowley's trick of delegating all the work to someone else. Speaking of him, Crowley's going to retire; at least, that's what he's been announcing for the past three gatherings. He refuses to trade his silver oakleaf for a gold one though, just like you. He's really stubborn, that old geezer.

"Horace's doing just fine as the Crown Prince too, but I think even though half a decade has passed, he's still not used to people calling him 'majesty'. He'd liked to come down, but he's got a great deal of affairs to tend to. He's learning about politics and geography and all of that, and he's just about dy- _crying _of boredom. I actually think he'd rather you were his tutor … Halt. Cassandra's off on another envoy or something to Arridi, to make sure the treaty – your last treaty, Halt – is still kept in its place."

Will stayed there for the next ten minutes, talking softly. He told Halt about the rest of the people, about Abelard and Pauline and Erak and even Malcolm. He told him about how Evan, Bob's replacement, had decided on Abelard's retirement. Will took him out for a ride every now and then, and fed him one too many apples. But Will thought the faithful horse had deserved it, after years of his hard work. He told Halt about how Pauline was going to retired as well, but in a few months' time, unlike Crowley, who kept wiffling and waffling about his retirement. Pauline didn't mention who the post would go to, although in keeping with the princess's wishes, the post would most likely go to Alyss.

He stayed there, assuming the position that was demanded by the Nihon-Jin, as he went on with the past year's activities, talking as though Halt was still alive. The sun dipped dangerously below the clouds, indignant that it was forced to give way to the moon. Its rays cast long streaks of fiery red and orange against every object in Araluen, yet Will still sat there, quietly, gazing at the portrait of his teacher, his mentor, his… father.

Will knew that, rightly, Halt wasn't his father; Daniel was. Yet, when he had been born, Daniel wasn't around; he wasn't even alive any more. Halt was. He had witnessed the growth of Will, from the young baby to the troublemaking youth to the apprentice ranger to the full-fledged, silver oakleaf ranger that Will was now. In his early days, Will had never thought of him as someone who he would adopt as a father. Now, now that Halt had left him permanently, Will instead thought of him as one. More than once, he had smiled bitterly at the irony.

His knees grew numb, and Will knew it was time for him to leave. Yet he couldn't bring himself to leave Halt.

It was here, then, that Alyss gently laid her cool hand on Will's shoulder. The sensation was faint through his cloak, but he could feel it. And he knew that no matter how unwilling he might be, he had to move. He had duties to attend.

"I'll be back, Halt. Watch over yourself."

He stood up, brushing dead and crumpled grass away from his bottoms. He looked at Alyss, smiling softly and took her hand.

Together, they turned and walked back to the Redmont's castle, which had lost the ferocious shade of red under the fading sun. Yet the sun had not fully left, and the castle's walls reflected a deep, reddish-pink shade. It was darker than the colour of the sky, which was a beautiful shade of rose pink and streak through with orange. It was like a painting unfortunately destroyed with scratches. It was beautiful, yet sad at the same time.

It lacked the grim smile, the acerbic words of a certain ranger.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys! So uh I just wanna say, thanks so much to all those who have reviewed and favourite my story, 5 reviews & favourites may not seem much to some but to me it really means a lot, and you guys have really inspired me to continue writing.

However... I don't really have a proper plot now. :P (not very creative, sorry) so if you'd like me to continue writing, do drop me a PM or something and suggest ideas for what I can write on! I'd definitely take the time out and write something based on your suggestions.

:)

Thanks!


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